What Guitar Amp Should I Buy?

timconny

Hi,

Having recently joined a new band i've realised that i'm going to have to buy a more powerful amp for my guitar. My guitar is an american standard stratocaster and i'm playing through a 30 watt vox valvetrovix practice amp at the moment. I think a 100 watt amp would be the best option for me so i'm thinking of getting the bigger VOX VT100 version of the amp i'm currently using. This is €469 on www.thomann.de

Basically i'm looking for a good valve amp at a reasonable price (€500 max) but i haven't a clue what one to get!
Does anybody have any suggestions????

Thanks,
Tim Connaughton.

helmetjack

I found a Peavey classic 30 online second hand for €270. Its a tube amp with a great sound, its basically a cheaper version of a fender tube amp. it would be good for your price range.

-Chris-

What style of music are you going to play? Who would you like to sound like? What kind of effects are you running (if any)?

Malice

Moved to Instruments. Also Tim, please lay off the ALL CAPS in thread titles.

punchdrunk

Speaker efficency will make far more difference than adding
wattage
valve watts arelouder than sold state watts (making big generalisatons here)

basically there's no indoor venue in the country that you couldn't
gig with a 30/50 watt valve amp if it's miced right

don't buy a 100 watt valvesonic
find an AC 30 used for about 600...

68 lost souls

If you get an AC30 look for an older one, before they moved to China, they have terrible relianility since they moved production to China.

As was said abouve what music are you playing?

Patricide

Peavy windsor would be a great choice in my opinion. Great tone, great price. But what type of stuff would you be playing on it?

timconny

Thanks for the replies I appreciate it. I'll be playing all styles really because we're a gigging cover band. Everything from Foo Fighters, The Killers and Kings of Leon to Thin Lizzy and Guns N Roses. Basically i'll need to get something versatile. I dunno about the ac 30 though it doesn't seem very powerful is it?

Alanstrainor

timconny wrote: »

Thanks for the replies I appreciate it. I'll be playing all styles really because we're a gigging cover band. Everything from Foo Fighters, The Killers and Kings of Leon to Thin Lizzy and Guns N Roses. Basically i'll need to get something versatile. I dunno about the ac 30 though it doesn't seem very powerful is it?

Trust me 30 watt valve is incredibly loud. There's no venue you couldn't play with an amp like an ac30. There is no comparison between 30 solid state and a 30 watt valve.

timconny

Ok cool thanks. I've been looking at reviews for various valve amps and the general concensus seems to be that the vox valvetronix amps have the best overall sound without being too expensive. If i was to get one of these, do you think the VT50 (50 watt) would provide me with sufficient power for gigging or would i be better off getting the VT100 to be safe?

-Chris-

timconny wrote: »

Ok cool thanks. I've been looking at reviews for various valve amps and the general concensus seems to be that the vox valvetronix amps have the best overall sound without being too expensive. If i was to get one of these, do you think the VT50 (50 watt) would provide me with sufficient power for gigging or would i be better off getting the VT100 to be safe?

Where are you reading these reviews? I wouldn't think the Valvetronics series would be highly lauded tonally compared to a decent valve amp.

I'm not sure how loud the VT100 is, but I'd plump for 100w if I was going solid-state.

If you go for a valve amp, like the lads say, 30 or 40 watts is ample.

-Chris-

Also, if you're playing stuff like Foos/KOL/GNR, you're probably going to want something more Marshall-y than Vox-y.

My advice would be to look at the Fender Blues Jr and buy a pedal like the Boss OD3.

You might check out some opinions, but I'd say the Blues Jr will be loud enough to keep up with the rest of a band, while being turned up high enough so the valves are being pushed nicely.

When you switch from playing through a modelling amp (like the VT100) to playing a decent valve amp, you'll never go back. It's just nicer playing through a cooking valve amp.

Yakult

Marshall dsl401 imo would suit you to the ground.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

timconny wrote: »

Ok cool thanks. I've been looking at reviews for various valve amps and the general concensus seems to be that the vox valvetronix amps have the best overall sound without being too expensive. If i was to get one of these, do you think the VT50 (50 watt) would provide me with sufficient power for gigging or would i be better off getting the VT100 to be safe?

Hi,
Im in a cover band, and use a Vox AD100 (the VT is the newer version). Its a very good Hybrid amp, way better than, the more popular marshall AVT series. Its a great amp for a cover band, as it models lots of other amps, you can get lots of different tones off it.
However it would not be as good as an all valve amp. I hope to get an Orange rocker 30, a marshall jvm or a blackstar in a few months. If you can afford to get a second hand all valve, then you should get it. If not, a Vox Ad100 is going for 400 on adverts.ie at the moment

-Chris-

You might get a DSL401 within budget second hand.

I was thinking of getting one a while ago and borrowed one for a week, I wasn't that impressed with the tone tbh, although I'm fairly particular about this kind of thing.

punchdrunk

Kol and foo's tone are easily doable with an AC30 and a decent pedal or two no problem...

68 lost souls

I would look as well at the peabvey vypyr valve, they are great amps and you could get a sanpera II pedal to go with it that would suit perfect for gigging.

Sergio

I bought the new series one range from Blackstar recently but there is also the other Artisan range which are great sounding valve amps at affordable prices.
http://www.blackstaramps.co.uk/products/index.html

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

Colinboy wrote: »

Blackstar recently but there is also the other Artisan range which are great sounding valve amps at affordable prices.

they arn't that affordable! The 30 watt Artisan 1600!

Sergio

Kaylie Mushy Theater wrote: »

they arn't that affordable! The 30 watt Artisan 1600!

Its actually the HT range thats affordable sorry.
all depends on where you buy them from frank, there alot cheaper in the uk than in Ireland trust me as ive just bought the new series one 200 head and cab.
Ive contacts in the uk if your looking to buy any blackstar products.
Is it the 30watt head or combo your looking at?;)

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

Colinboy wrote: »

Its actually the HT range thats affordable sorry.
all depends on where you buy them from frank, there alot cheaper in the uk than in Ireland trust me as ive just bought the new series one 200 head and cab.
Ive contacts in the uk if your looking to buy any blackstar products.
Is it the 30watt head or combo your looking at?;)

I was looking at the combo. You might be getting a pm from me in a few months when im on the hunt for a new amp! Really thinking of getting the Artisan 30 watt combo.

Nifdy

Marshall.

nicknackgtb

Have a look at the Marshall Haze 40w Combo, serious amount of power for little price, take a loook at this video, shows you everything to do with it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXUVeGdi4Bc

Glassheart

Two people selling the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe on adverts for €500:

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=162953&cat=16

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=161345&cat=16

One of them might take €400/450.

I had one of these years ago and it's a grand little amp.It's 40 watts of tube power so it's very loud.They take pedals pretty well too.

Avoid that Vox VT100...

RealEstateKing

amp personally. Its very versatile, does anything from Blues Crunch to Slayer depending on your mood.

Personally, I wouldnt be too bothered about buying a 'real' valve amp in this day and age. Its used to matter a lot, but nowadays the digital modelling is good enough that its not really worth the extra bother and expense.

-Chris-

RealEstateKing wrote: »

amp personally. Its very versatile, does anything from Blues Crunch to Slayer depending on your mood.

Personally, I wouldnt be too bothered about buying a 'real' valve amp in this day and age. Its used to matter a lot, but nowadays the digital modelling is good enough that its not really worth the extra bother and expense.

Play through a valve amp at a half decent volume, and then come back and say that.
The only people I know who don't prefer valve amps over solid state are either people who have already bought solid state amps, or people who tried a valve amp but didn't turn it up past 2.
When you really get it going, the valve amp is far more rewarding to play than a transistor amp.

Modelling will only get you so far, and if you're the kind of musician who says "it'll do", then you'll probably be happy with it, but if work at or value your sound then you need to look at a proper valve amp.

feylya

-Chris- wrote: »

The only people I know who don't prefer valve amps over solid state are either people who have already bought solid state amps, or people who tried a valve amp but didn't turn it up past 2.

I've played through solid state amps that blow valve amps out of the water, both in terms of volume and tone produced. The problem with solid state amps is that most of the ones available are low end and that's what people base their opinions on.

-Chris-

Of course, it will depend on personal preference, and in some situations (lightning quick playing etc.) you might prefer the relative clarity of a solid state amp.

You're correct, the solid state amps I've played through have been poor-to-average amps - from my 15 watt practice amp to a JC120 and a Crate half-stack and all the various solid-state amps you get in rehearsal rooms throughout Dublin. There maybe solid-state amps that blow valve amps out of the water, and vice versa.

I guess it all comes down to personal opinion & experience, and my experience is that I prefer playing through my valve amp over playing through my modelled pedal, and based on my experience I've had friends switch from a solid-state/modelling amp to a simple valve and they've found the same thing.

YMMV.

torresfan

I had a Vox AD30VT but in January I will be moving up to the AD50VT and getting the four channel footswitch. Awesome Amp, awesome effects, awesome tone.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

torresfan wrote: »

I had a Vox AD30VT but in January I will be moving up to the AD50VT and getting the four channel footswitch. Awesome Amp, awesome effects, awesome tone.

They are good amps, probably the best hybrid amp on the market, a lot better than the marshall MG, AVT and line 6 spider.

I have the the older AD100VT, however if a few months it will be on adverts! It doesnt compare to an all valve, not by a mile.

mada999

i have a AD100VT for sale on adverts for 400... would drop to 375